"Fuck. Thrice cursed pencil pushers. Those Idiots expect me to kill that man after we are done? Who do they think I am?"
Ilsac spend the following day cussing up a storm and trying to formulate a plan. He had been told that free labour was send his way, and that they would be great workers so long as their leader wasn't present during any negotiations.
Thus, it fell upon him to make sure that their leader would not be a problem anymore once the Larv served their military purpose.
He didn't even manage to further question them as they left for Furchenstein, the only sign of their passing being the golem they left behind. A truly horrifying creature, now that he knew how they where made.
Meanwhile, the aquatic people spend the night marching and actually managed to arrive at a somewhat more lively place, dry shrubs and yellow grass looking positively wonderous to a race that hadn't seen vegetation on dry land for most of its history.
Many had questions, some even touching the plants to see what they tasted like, but no one dared to leave too far from the group, as they continued forward at a steady pace.
Slowly, more and more animals flitted around them. First, it was insects, and even some small mammals started to be visible as the desert ended in a vast savanna. The kids played with them, the horrible things they had to see washed tk the back of their minds as they tasted every insect that came close to them. And some Larv's even asked Jeolas whether this was the sacret lands he had promised them.
"My people, the lands I promise you arge green, with trees as lush as balls of green, forests too thick to walk through without bumping into bushes. I promise you greens like you have never seen before, places wet enough to walk the surface by daylight. Soft sunlight gently evaporating no more than the ground beneath us can replenish, rains so fruitfull, they will fall from your skin, and one day we will have expanded enough for sewers everywhere to house us, paying us to make sure these places remain clean. I promised a new age when we went, but I don't think all of you truly comprehend the beauty of the land we are approaching."
Jeolas himself didn't know how beautiful the lands they were yearing for actually looked, his only memories of that place filled with a friendly Norman and pain from every one of his steps.
"If we are successful enough, we can stick to the lands we claim like a clam, slippery as a fish to those who oppose us. We will build a reef, a safe place for us and a death sentence for those who oppose us. Now, it is time for us to search for a place to rest for the day, whilethe land is better, these parts are still warm during the day. I need your commitment for a ritual. The night will be spend underwater!"
They cheered, before the prophet raised his hand.
"Think of water, remember our home. Take any longing for it you feel, and send it to me."
And when they did, it was overwhelming.
All of them subconsciously moved their Mana, the mysterious substance gathering in Jeolas before he dispersed it. Similar to his detection spell, but entirely attuned to water. It took three waves like that before they found a suitable place for the night, a string of blue connecting them to it. The closer they got, the faster everyone went. It became exhilerating as they sprinted and, collectively, jumped into the unknown waters. The cacaphony of sounds they made following that action would be haunting many a creatures dreams for long. Paladin and the golems remained outside, every step they made inside assuring them that they would inevitably sink.
"My lord, I can no longer enter the water"
Jeolas nodded at that, and began to slowly approach the man that had sacrificed everything for the inquisition.
"I am deeply sorry, and hope you will not regret your oath. I might know a ritual, but it would probably weaken your armor, and might reduce the effect gravity has on you."
Jeolas called forth spells and skills he hadn't used in lifetimes. "Float like a jellyfish, glide like a ray. As the Mason of flesh and Hero of the system, I, Jeolas, Goron, Fliegenda, Thimon mayer, command thee to change. I invoke these names of mine to fuel thy enchantment, loyal servant. Thy soul is safe with me, and to fight the darkness, I shall imbue you with wisdoms light. Now fly like the angel you will one day be!"
Paladin had never felt such pain before, as divine light melted his skin and the ground beneath him. Wings unfolded, floating slices of marbel, each of them imbued with runes of air and life.
As they stretched to the skies, his race changed.
"I am Paladin, first among the Gargoyle and highest among the Inquisitors."
His blade began glowing.
"I have ascended, and so long as my liege exists, I shall be by thy side."
And thus, he came into the water, his now glowing wings easily allowing for magical weight manipulation.
Thus, the group settled in for the night, fully submerging themselves.
Unlocked Skills
Spoiler
Respawn (Skill) (Unique): When you die, your soul is pulled back to the character creation screen with half your levels. Once here, you can build a new character and try again.
Once you press the create button on the character creator, you will be spawned at a place appropriate for your character.
Grounding (skill)(ground): While cast, this skill infuses the targets body with geound mana and forces it to remain on a surface below it.
Dash (skill)(air): Your movement speed increases by (move*skill level).
Tag stomp (skill)(Gravity): Target a creature and accelerate towards it at (lvl) times your normal speed. Cannot be used for the amount of time needed to accelerate before impact.
Restfull petrification. (ground): Your body is petrified for the duration you sleep. While you are petrified in this way, you are considered hidden.
You will restore (lvl) times the energy you would by sleeping the same amount of time.
Jet legs [1] (air) (skill): Air mana will concentrate in your entire body and focus on your legs. Once you activate this skill, you can gather ambient air mana for up to (lvl) seconds and release it at a later time explosively. One second worth of air mana can move you (lvl) meters in any direction and push everything else away.
Groundbound [1] (ground) (skill): an area of (lvl) meters around you is flooded by ground Mana, making everything within heavier.
Blizzard aura (ice) (skill): Raise your surrounding ice and turn it into a shield of projectiles. Born from memories of a fallen goblin, this skill has been optimized to spare the user any colloteral.
Second skin (Steel) (Skill): Coats the user in a secondary skin of Mana, reducing the damage received by [lvl].
Elemental aura [0] (mod) (skill): every living being in an area of (lvl) meters around you is flooded by Mana of your choosing, affecting the target as if it stood in an environment typical for that element.
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Regulate temperature (Ice/Fire) (skill): allows the user to adjust his body temperature.
Soul Contract (skill) (Meta): To log an agreement into the system is the ultimate form of contract. Unfair contracts might lower your system access.
Amount of contracts allowed at a time:
system access * skill level.
Unlocked perks
Spoiler
Fairy wings (Perk) Reduces weight by 1 kg and gives the user a magical flying speed of 10km/h.
-10 token
Magical body (perk): Your body is held together by magic. Your body can not be dispersed by non magical means, and everything you do counts as magical. Dispersing magic will deactivate this perk for the duration. Your natural lifespan will now be extended by 10% for every point you have in Willpower.
-5 token
Magus ¤ : This Perk allows a person to interact directly with mana
Thick bones (Perk): Your bones are two times denser than is normal for your race, making it harder for your body to be moved in any direction.
-5 Token
Thick skin (perk): Your skin is thicker than that of most members of your species.
-5 Token
Blubber (Perk): You hold a layer of fad under your skin. Increases your weight by 5kg for every meter of height you have, but allows you to thrive in much colder climates.
-5
Muscles of steel (Perk): Your muscles are naturally harder and more effective at movement. Your muscles are much more resilient than they would normally be.
-10
Aquatic essence (perk): so long as a part of you is in contact with you, your body can reform from it.
Cost: 20 Token.
Psyonic aura (Perk): Your words draw the attention of everyone that can hear them, forcing a contest of willpower upon everyone involved.
Cost: 20 Token
Shed skin (Perk): You can shed your skin and choose how the layer beneath it will look. The skin will look like you and proceed to act as yours would.
Cost: 15 Token
Animating dust (perk): Anyone that dies after inhaling the dust will be reanimated as a Vito-Necromantic shambler.
Cost: 40 Token
Soul engine (perk): You store other peoples souls to fuel your own, syphoning their growth and emotions to strengthen yourself.
Cost: 60 Token.
Aura of Royalty (Perk): Your subjects strengthen you, so long as they trust in your power and loyalty to them. To pass checks made for the best of the kingdom, the stats of everyone aware of your general intentions are added to your own.
Cost: 100 Token
Unlocked Handycaps
Spoiler
Slim: Reduce the amount a creature weighs by 5% per level of this handycap chosen, which can be stacked up to three times.
+1 Token
Small: Reduces the height of a creatur by 20%.
+5 Token
Heavenbound (handycap): Should you ever disconnect from the ground, gravitation will reverse for you. Any kinetic force excerted on you will be 100% more effective at moving you.
+8 Token
One armed (handycap): You only have one useable arm.
+30 Token
Bulky tendencies (Handycap): Your weight can not be reduced by more than 10% increases to your weight that hold for more than a day are permanent.
+15 Token.
Large (Handycap): Increases the height of a creatur by 20%.
+5 Token
Overweight (handycap): You weigh 10% more than your race normally does. (Can be equipped up to three times)
+5 Token
Body of stone (Handycap): your body is petrified, heavily limiting your mobility.
+30 Token
Shadowless (handycap): You do not have a shadow.
+20 Token